Just adding to what someone said earlier- info from the vicroads site:

Statutory write-off
A vehicle that is recorded as a statutory write-off after 1 May 2002, cannot be re-registered and the vehicle identification number (VIN) cannot be reused.

A vehicle will be recorded as a statutory write-off if it is a total loss and so severely damaged that it should not be repaired. Only certain parts from statutory write-offs may be used to repair other vehicles.